Fire-extinguisher.



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L. L5 R. SMHH, FIRE ExnNGussHr-IR. APPUCTION F`|LED 1AN.24 917. sglgl LPatented Apr. 2, 1918 fuiven@ Lsreoy @mi :Ev

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' lill d FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

Specification of Letters atent.

ZPatented 2,

Application filed January 2e, 1917. Serial No. 144,271.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, LESTER LE ROY SMITH, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Lynn, in the county of Essex and Commonwealth ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful improvements inFire-Extinguishers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactspecication.

In fire extinguishing instrumentalities of the type wherein air ispumped into a reservoir of chemicals in order to force the latter in aspray upon the ire, the outlet is adapted to be kept in constantcommunication with thechemicals in the reservoir no matter at what anglethe latter may be held.

For accomplishing this .the outlet communication member is ro atablysupported to gravitationally swing to whichever side of the cylindricalreservoir is lowermo'st. inasmuch as said member must be comparativelyslender and light, it occasionally fails to begin its descent into thefluid chemicals.

The object of this invention is the construction of such an outletcommunication member as shall be of maximum certainty of actuation, andthe4 el'eeting of certain other improvements in details of constructionhereinafter set forth.

Referring to the drawings forming partger rod 5 connected with a handle6 exterior'v of the gun.

At the inner end of the pump cylinder 3 is a head 8 having an outlet 7for the air from the pump to the reservoir, the .outlet being providedwith a check valve 9 of a well known type. The inner end of the plungerrod 5 is made tubular for a short distance, as at l0, controlled by acheck valve 11. To prevent any possible leakage of air from within thereservoir l when the iire extinguisher is not in use, and so to keep itconstantly ready for instant ejection of thechemical within thereservoir, a valve 12 is located in the pump at a point to close the'slender rod or wire '33,

outlet 7 but provided with three or four resilient arms 13 disposed fornormally retaining the valve out of engagement with the outlet, each armhaving a foot-leL resting against the interior of the pump cylinder 3for the purpose of keeping the valve in place.

The plunger rod 5 is provided with an ear l5 adapted to be engaged withthe finger lll and to lock the plunger at a point where its pressureagainst the valve l2 forces the lowing is my preferred construction:

A tubular spindle 2l has one end closed and formed as a slender trunnion22 rotatably supported in a bearing 23 in the pump head 8. Its other endis enlarged, as 24E, to rotatably it the tubular stud 25 which projectsfrom the thimble 26 pretcrl formed as a part of the reservoir he: theinterior of the spindle 2l and oi the stud 25 being in alineinent witheach other, and at the axial center oi' the cylinder l. From the tubularspindle 2l a tubular arm 29 projects radially,`and is adapted to comsmunieate with and to support at its outer end a tube 30 parallel withthe axis et the cylindrical reservoir and closely spaced from thelatters interior surface. At each end of the tube 30 is a valve 3lcoperating with a valve seat 32, the valves being joined by a. so thatthe elevation of either end of the reservoir above the' level of theother end will cause the val ves 3l to ,descend by gravity and close theupper inlet The valve 12 for keeping the air confined i under heavy`pressure within the reservoir from escaping through the pump 3 has al-.

ready been described. For closing at will the exit through the nozzle20, a valve 34 is being made through the portion 35 to give free exit tothe fluid when the valveslides away from its engagement with thestudpassage. Since the valve 34 is between the nozzle and the reservoir,the nozzle may be made to turn freely in the thimble 26 with# out fearof leakage thercat when the reservoir is put away with a heavy head ofair therein.

The tube 30 being comparatively light and liable at times to be renderedsomewhat buoyant by air trapped in it, I have provided means for bothinitiating and hastening its descent into the fluid, should it be takenup and held with the tube uppermost in the reservoir. To this end, thehollow head 24 of the tubular spindle 21 is provided with an arm 39having branches 40 adapted to loosely embrace a heavy ball 4l which' isadapted to freely travel in the circular raceway 42 formed by theouter,surface of the thimble 26 and the inner surface of the head 27.When the ball is uppermost, it is in very unstable equilibrium and-willinstantly begin to roll down about the thimble. Before it has gone far,it collides with one of the arm-branches l0 and by its impact causes thearm and parts connected therewith to turn and descend to their lowermostpositions.

To insure an air-tight engagement between the hollow head 24 and theconical end of the tubular stud 25, I provide a small plug 44; slidablysupported in the bearing 23 and pressed against the end of the trunnion22 by a spiral spring 45.

In use, the reservoir 1 is taken from its support, its nozzle 20directed toward the conflagration to be extinguished, and the cap 36turned until the fluid jets from the nozzle with the force desired. Ifthe stream is not as stron as it should be, or if it begins to fail, teplunger rod 5 is turned to release its ear l5 from the catch 16 and thehandle 6 suitably actuated until the required air pressure in thereservoir is fully reached. This action may be continued even while thestream is being directed upon the Iire.

What I claim is:

l. A fire extinguisher comprising a reservoir for the extinguisher Huid,means for generating pressure in the reservoir, an outlet for thereservoir, a rotatable intake for the outlet, and a freely rotatableweight loosely connected with the intake to, impart a moving shockthereto after the w'eight has begun to move.

2. A lire extinguisher comprising a reser- Voir for the extinguisherfluid, means for generating pressure 1n the reservoir, an outlet for thereservoir, a rotatably supported intake for the outlet, an arm rigidwith the intake, and a weight loosely carriedat the end of the arm,whereby an .initial movement of the weight forces the rotatable intaketo begin its rotation to a lpwerniost point in the reservoir. l"

3. A fire extinguisher comprising a4 reservoir for the extinguisherfluid,means for generating pressure lin the reservoir, an cutlet for thereservoir, a rotatably supported tubular spindle communicating with theoutlet, tubular branches rigid with the spindle and communicatingtherewith, the ends ofv spindle, and a tube supported by andcommunicating with the spindle and having its ends close to but spacedfrom the sides of the reservoir.

5. A fire extinguisher comprising a cylindrical reservoir, means forgeneratlng pressure within it, the reservoir having a head formed withan internally threaded thimble having a tubular stud, a tubular spindlerotatably supported at oneend by the stud, a support for the other endof the spindle, branches in communication with and rigidl supported bythe spindle with their en s lspaced from the sides of the reservoir, andan externally threaded nozzle turning in said thimble and communicatingwith said tubular stud.

6. A fire extinguisher comprising a reser- Voir having an outlet and atubular stud inr:ommunication with the outlet, a tubular spindle havinga hollow head turning on the tubular stud, branches supported by and incommunication with the spindle, a bearing for the end of the spindleopposite to the hollow head, a plug slidable in the bearing, and aspring in the latter pressing the plug and spindle toward the tubularstud.

7. A fire extinguisher comprising a reservon', a pump and plunger Withinthe reservoir, the pump having an outlet port to the reservoir, and avalve Within the pump adapted to be pressed by the plunger into closingengagement with the outlet port, said valve having a plurality/.ofresilient arms for normally supporting it out of said engagement.' A

8. A lire extinguisher comprising a reservoir, a pump and plunger Withinthe reservoir, the pump having an outlet port to the reservoir, and avalve Within the pump adapted to be pressed by the plunger into closingengagement With the outlet port, said 15 valve having a plurality ofresilient arms for normally supporting it out of said elle? gagement,each of said' arms having 'a foot parallel with and pressed into closeContact With the inner surface of the pump.

9. A lire extinguisher having a head provided With an internallythreaded thimble having an outlet thereto from the reservoir, a tubularexternally threaded nozzle turning in said thii'nlole7 and a valveformed with a cylindrical portion loosely fitting Within the thimble andmovable with the nozzle into closing engagement with said outlet, saideylindrieal portion being formed with holes for the :passage of thereservoirs Contents through it. y

In testimony that I claim the foregoing invention, I have hereunto setmy hand this 22nd day of January, 1917.

LESTER LE ROY SMITH.

